White marbled Hazratbal Shrine in Srinagar is one of the holiest places of reverance for Muslims as it houses a holy relic of Prophet Mohammad. In October 1993, a confrontation between armed militants and security forces led to the siege of the Shrine with militants holed up inside. According to Wajahat Habibullah, the Government’s chief negotiator and Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir, the militant leaders holed up inside the shrine were already in touch with the outside world through an unlisted telephone number installed inside the shrine. He says he was amazed the way the militants appeared always so well informed of daily events outside during his negotiations with them. One day the Telephone Department told Habibullah, who was also divisional commissioner of the Kashmir Valley, that they had discovered an unlisted number inside the Hazratbal shrine premises. When he asked the department to disconnect the line, he was told by the Intelligence Bureau that the line should be allowed to remain as it was there at their behest. Two battalions of the Indian Army laid siege to the shrine on October 15, 1993. Despite media speculation of the presence of some 40 militants including foreigners, only seven were subsequently established to be militants belonging to the JKLF led by Idris.
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